Levi matthews



Maf/,996.' PATBNTED APR.24, 1860,

L. MATTHEW-s.V

, PUMP,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI MATTHEWS, OF ANTRIM, OHIO.

PUMP.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,996, dated April 24, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnvr MATTHEWS, of Antrim, in the county of Guernseyand State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement onSubmerged Pumps; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, is a suiiiciently full andclear description thereof as to enable others skilled in such matters tomake Vand use the same.

In the accompanying drawing which represents a sectional elevation of asubmerged pump having my improvement applied to it, the pump barrel (A)is shown as occupying a vertical position in the well, which position Iprefer to adopt as being more advantageous in certain respects, butwhich position is not imperative. This pump cylinder or barrel may bearranged at any desired depth in the well below the usual level of watertherein, and may be supported by securing it to a beam (B) run down theside of the well, or in any other suitable manner. It is provided with aplunger (O) having a valve (a) opening upward, and the-cylinder lid orcover or, in other words, upper portion of the vertical barrel, islikewise furnished with valves (b, b) arranged to open inward and so asto constitute,'in common with the plunger valve, receiving valves, andopening and closing simultaneously with the plunger valve or thereabout.The bottom of the barrel is provided with an opening, or left open, forthe passage of water to and through the plunger in the descent of thelatter. o

In case of the position of the pump barrel being reversed so as to bringthe cylinder lid or cover undermost, of course many of the actions orpositions of parts would also be reversed, but the general operationwould be the same. It is scarcely necessary to observe either, that thenumber of valves may be changed without altering the general action,thus the cylinder lid may have but one valve, or more than two, and theplunger more than one. The delivery pipe (D) of the pump is also shownas furnished with a valve (d) near its junction with the barrel, saidvalve being arranged to open when the receiving valves (a and b b)close, and vice versa.

The plunger may have its up and down motion given to it by means of theusual gear, consisting of a pump rod (c) and lever c). Across the pumprod (o), at a point thereon below the usual level of water in the welland preferably, when the plunger is down, in close proximity to thestationary receiving valves (b is arranged or projects, so as to lieover or facing said valves, a cap-board that, being attached to the pumprod, moves up and down with it. This cap-board not only serves to form acovering over the outer or exposed receiving valves (Z) Z2) to protectthem fromV injury by anything dropping into the well, but it has otherimportant uses in connection with said valves, and not dependent uponits horizontal position or vertical direction of play as its serving asa protector in the manner described implies. These additional anddistinct uses of the cap-board (f), as well as the special and generaloperations of the several parts, will be sufliciently explained by thefollowing description of the action of the pump as it and its valves areshown arranged in the accompanying drawing.

The plunger (C) being set in motion, its descent causes the valve (a) init to open and also the valves (o o) in the cylinder cover, so thatwater rushes in at both ends of the barrel or cylinder to fill thebarrel (A) during the descent of the plunger. Tater through the deliveryvalve (el) into and up the discharge pipe (D). Where a mere lift of thewater is required to an inconsiderable height, the delivery valve mightbe dispensed with, as by the joint area of the receiving openings to thebarrel being greater than the area of the discharge, water would notfall back as rapidly as it was lifted especially during a quick workingof the pump. And where a delivery valve is used it may be desirable toconstruct it so as to admit of a silght leakage when closed and theplunger in the barrel also so fitted as to admit of a slow passage ofwater back" the level of the water in the well which. will preventfreezing of the water in the discharge pipe. But Whether this provisionbe made or not and whether there be a delivery valve or none, thoughmore especially under a leaky vconstruction of the delivery valve andplunger or absence of a delivery valve, it is a matter of no smallmoment that the stationary receiving valve or valves (b should open andclose quick at their appointed times, alike to supply the barrel (A)with water the moment the plunger begins its movement to receive water,as to'prevent the escape of Water back to the well by its return fromthe discharge elbow or pipe the moment the plunger begins its lifting orforcing stroke, and more or less return of water from the delivery isalways to be eX- pected on the reversal of the plungers stroke to effecta lift. Now, it will be obvious that no diiiticulty in this respect isto be met with in the plunger valve (a) as it, traveling with theplunger, immediately feels the effect of the waters resistance to openor close it. But such is not the case with the stationary receivingvalve or valves (b b), especially when arranged uppermost where thewater is less dense. Accordingly, I construct and arrange the cap-board(f) and employ it for the express purpose, by its reciprocating actionwith the plunger, of giving an additional force or pressure on thestationary receiving valve or valves to open and close it or them at theproper times, by causing said cap-board to lift on the Water in the wellor urge it away from the receivingvalve or valves, and in closeproximity thereto, the instant the plunger begins its closing action ofsaid valve or valves; and, further, by said cap-board pressing on thewater in the well to urge it against said valve or valves the moment theplunger commences its reverse stroke to open the receiving valve orvalves. In this way, the cap-board (f) serves alternately to createopposite currents or actions of the water 1n the well to draw thestationary receiving valve or valves to, when they should be closed, andto force them open when they should be opened, and likewise to urge thewater through them when open. By this means the stationary receivingvalve or valves are made to open and close quicker and are shut totighter than they otherwise would do.

The arrangement of the stationary receiving valves in the cylinder coveraffords great facility in the construction of the pump and is anadvantage in case of necessary repair.

In using the term cap-board (f), I do so without restriction of thedevice to the precise meaning of that term. Disk or vane would beequally as applicable, especially as the construction or shape of thedevice may be varied.

I claim, as new and useful in submerged Pumps,

The employment of a reciprocating capboard, disk, or vane, immersed inthe water of the well and operating conjointly with the plunger, incombination with a stationary receiving valve or valves to the pumparranged to face said cap-board, or thereabout, and so that thecap-board plays to and from said valve or valves substantially in themanner and for the purpose or purposes herein specified.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

LEVI MATTHEWS.

lVitnesses WM. A. LAWRENCE, WM. A. KNOUFF.

its.:

